Mentally

Praying for Our Students Day 3

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. Philippians 1:9 (NIV)

              Violet and Ashley sat beside each other in class. They whispered when they finished assignments and held regular book reading competitions. Sometimes they included a few other bookish girls in their conversations and the giggles that erupted were contagious. Both girls were wide-eyed and full of life, ready to tackle all that fourth grade had to offer.

              As the year progressed, Violet’s talkative nature curbed. She still whispered and communicated with Ashley, but not with the other girls. Her bright eyes and jovial countenance slowly disappeared. There was a sadness that lurked just below the surface. Her grades remained steady and she still read her books, but Violet wasn’t herself.

              After several weeks of this change, I called her mom and everything made sense. Her mom and dad had split up, and she was with her mom during the week and her dad on the weekends, if he decided to show up. Mom was a total wreck and burst into tears on the phone. I listened, then asked how I could help her daughter. She replied, “Please don’t let her disappear into herself.”

              That’s when I realized what was happening. Violet was pulling away from reality and disappearing into the recesses of her mind. She was reading a lot more and drifting away into an imaginary world that wasn’t falling apart like hers. While reading was a good thing, disassociating from reality was another altogether.

              We all have students like Violet. Kids that are facing such hard situations that they create fantasy worlds to disappear into. Some read and write, others play video games or ride their bikes. But others disappear into negative, depressive places filled with untruths, lies, and deep sadness. We need to make it a priority to pray for our Violets on a consistent basis. Below is a list of ways we can pray for the minds of our students.

1.      Knowledge retention and the ability to learn and decipher lessons taught.

2.      Understanding of content and language; pray for no confusion or hidden frustration.

3.      Pray that any lies, hurtful words, manipulation, and negative thinking will be exposed and the stronghold of those words and actions can be broken.

4.      Desire to learn and grow academically and the endurance to continue learning no matter what the outside factors are.

5.      Protection over long-term internal effects from adults, friends, bullies, or parents who speak harsh words or try to use words to control the child.

6.      Conform the mind of our students to the ways of Christ and place people in their lives to speak words of truth to them.

7.      Pray for God to increase the creative parts and the imagination of our students.

8.      Ask God to protect their minds from perversion through video, internet, and printed materials.

9.      That God protects them from the spiraling words and thoughts associated with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations.

10.  Protection from the rebellious nature of sin and for their carnal nature to be brought under the submission of Christ.

Are there any other ways you can think of to pray for the minds of our students?

Digging Deeper

Read the following verses about the mind. Think about how much attention God exerted in creating the brain and how important the brains of our students actually are.

Romans 12:2 (ESV)       Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (ESV) For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)  To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Based on these verses, our minds are to be protected and cared for. We are supposed to pay extra close attention and make sure we do not train our minds according to the ways of this world. We must pray the same for our students

If You Get Spare Time 

Think about what your mind was like as a young person. What or who shaped your train of thought? Where and when did you learn to think? Process? Understand? Was anyone praying specifically for your mind? If not, what kind of change would there have been if someone had decided to pray for your brain?

Now, analyze your thought life. Is it God-honoring? How can you begin praying for your mind as you begin to pray for the minds of your students.